LEGAL

Understanding the Role of a Family Attorney – A Comprehensive Guide

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A Tampa family attorney may assist parents in drafting parenting plans as part of divorce cases, child custody lawsuits, or paternity suits. These legal agreements can help reduce anger and unnecessary emotional trauma.

Child Custody

A child custody case can become highly complex and requires a family attorney Tampa with experience handling these matters. Courts lean towards shared parental responsibility and time-sharing between parents in divorces or paternity lawsuits. Still, they can award sole custody to one parent if the other party is unfit.

A family law firm can advise handling a custody case and help you develop a strategy. They can also assist in drafting a parenting plan that outlines time-sharing schedules and decision-making responsibilities. They can also help if you need to modify existing child custody orders due to changes in your circumstances.

A law firm can also help if you seek to revoke consent to adoption. It can be challenging to show that fraud or coercion was involved. They can also advise you on protecting your financial interests and assist in negotiating a custody and visitation agreement.

Child Support

Legally, parents are required to assist their children financially. A child support lawyer can help determine an appropriate amount based on specific child support guidelines. They can also assist with enforcement if an obligated parent fails to pay court-ordered payments.

Frequently, child support cases require an intricate calculation that considers both parents’ income, custody rights, and the number of overnights each parent has per month. The complexities of these calculations are why many families choose to resolve their child support disputes through mediation with the help of a family law attorney.

An expert family lawyer can ensure all required paperwork is filed accurately and on time before a divorce, paternity, or child support case gets to trial. It will expedite the process and make it less stressful for everyone involved.

Guardianship

Whether you are going through a divorce or wish to protect your children from harm, family law attorneys can help. They can assist you in establishing legal, workable parenting plans that are consistent with your goals and the best interests of your children.

A guardian can be a family member, such as a parent or sibling, or a non-family member who shows an interest in the ward. In addition, the court can appoint a Guardian Ad Litem, who serves as the court’s “eyes and ears” and evaluates papers, consults with parties and witnesses, and makes recommendations to the judge.

Adult guardianships are required when a person’s decision-making capacity is sufficiently compromised. Executing a less restrictive option such as a durable power of attorney, trust, or health care surrogate/proxy is impossible. 

Divorce

There are a wide range of issues that may come up in the course of your divorce case. For example, deciding how you and your spouse will co-parent and work out a custody and visitation schedule is crucial. Studies have shown that children who have regular contact with both parents do better than those who only see one parent. A family attorney can help you determine what is best for your situation.

Spousal support, also known as alimony, is another common issue in divorce cases. According to the law, judges may consider some considerations while deciding whether or not to grant maintenance, as well as the amount and duration of the payment.

A lawyer who has been in practice for some time ought to have a lot of expertise in managing various case types and be knowledgeable about all facets of family law. A good firm will also offer tailored services and transparent pricing.